Business 101: 1-on-1 in San Diego
You're looking at two brand new bright-eyed, bushy-tailed business owners. I wrote a post on Instagram a week ago about how Danny lost his job on the kid's first day of school this year. There's been A LOT going on since then. While I don't feel the need to document every detail, I wanted to create some space here for those words I wrote in that Instagram post about this part of our story. Along with more pictures (of course!!) and a little bit about our weekend in San Diego.
A couple weekends ago Danny and I went to a business marketing conference in San Diego called Influencer. As cringy as that word "Influencer" feels to me...I mean, by no means do I feel like I'm an influencer in any level or form that word is used in today's world...it is so aligned with what we are doing with our new business. If you've seen Danny on Instagram or been in his facebook group "The Good in Today" you'll notice this theme he's had for a while, starting things with - "The Good in..." (ie. his Instagram handle @thegooddanny). He can explain it way better than I can, but in short, with his background of depression one of his mottos is the fact that no matter what is going on in your day or your world, there's still some good in it. He's made it a mission of his to put GOOD out into the world. For the last few years, he's produced podcasts for the previous company he worked for. And now he's marrying the desire to put good out in the world with producing podcasts for people that want to do the same. I don't want to sound like I'm giving a sales pitch or anything, I'm just extremely proud of Danny and what he is already creating with this new baby company. Called, of course, The Good in Media.
We both knew jumping into this new endeavor (basically by being blessedly forced) we would need to be on the same page. So we decided to go to this conference together to learn some actual tactical strategies and create a joint vision of our goals with this business. It also helped knowing we'd get a weekend away in San Diego together!! Any stranger can tell within 2 minutes of knowing me that I'm happiest wandering a city. With relaxing at the beach being a VERY close second. So this weekend was a dream!! We spent 10+ hours a day learning at the conference, which was brain frying, but those quick runs out for lunch in Downtown San Diego, dinners in Little Italy, and nights alone were so needed. And so fun.
I started every morning walking to this cafe across the street from our hotel to grab breakfast. I love the murals of Greece and the hodgepodge menu at that little cafe! There's something about the murals, the homemade signs, the mismatched coffee mugs, and the people that stopped to grab food there. You could tell it had been there for a while, and I love that.
Most of what we saw was right here in the convention center. On our lunch breaks, Danny stayed and worked while I ran out to grab food at a close restaurant or grocery store downtown.
Sunday was the only day we didn't have any plans. We slept in, and then went to Point Loma! A friend of mine Autumn (@autumnlikesyourbottom) recommended the tide pools at Point Loma and it was so gorgeous there!
Ten weeks ago, Danny lost his job. It was the kids first day of school, and my last day off work after an incredible girls trip with Navy when I got a text from Danny saying he was let go and I needed to come pick him up. *stomach sinks* Then to top it off - I got a text 20 min later with the news that we’d been beaten to the “perfect” apartment we applied for. The one in the elevator building, across from the park, that was 2 bedrooms for the price of one as far as our neighborhood goes. 😆 (Danny and I have been together since we were 16, so there’s no way for me to really know, but I’d imagine my feelings for that apartment being eerily similar to how one might feel about “the one that got away”. 🤣)
Obviously of the things going on that day, the apartment was the least of my worries. I guess it’s my relatable way of saying that sometimes we think we know what we want, but it’s not meant for us. As I write that maybe that’s just something we say after we’ve been through some crap, rub our eyes and get grateful for wherever we’ve been led to next by rolling up our sleeves and figuring the dang thing out. Who knows. Whether it was “meant” for us, or we just kept moving forward the result is an opportunity to create something better.
Three days before Danny was let go, he started writing down that he would leave his job. May of 2020. To work on a business for himself that he was passionate about. Those quick 3 days later I went through every emotion sitting at lunch with Danny after I’d picked him up. One of the first things I remember both of us saying to each other was, “this is a good thing.” We were pushed to do the thing we had talked about doing sooner than planned. We’ve had to financially, emotionally (and every other word ending in “ally”) invest in ourselves. We’ve had to bet on us! And that’s freaking SCARY!!
I knew I would want to share this as some point. As I do. When I’m ready to. For a second I worried about what people might think. If people would feel like I’m sharing yet another “sob story”. All I know is two things...
1. I want this space to be a reflection of my actual life. Like the 80 year old me with all her crazy stories, not just the vanilla ones ‘cause I have a feeling those will be the ones I’m most proud of anyways.
and 2. Because there’s another woman like me going through her own hard stuff. Maybe it’s because of something she did or didn’t do. Maybe it’s completely out of her control. Maybe it’s something new and scary too. And if I can show up as ME, who’s not the prettiest, or the strongest, or the smartest, or most business savvy, or mom savvy...but I keep showing up. Maybe she can find just a little strength in that too. I’ve been able to make so many friends here on Insta that have become part of my life because I’m able to take just a little strength from how they show up. How creative they are. How kind. How beautiful and strong. So grateful I can show up as ME to YOU. It’s incredibly tough and beautiful out there. In the cheesiest way, I hope you know when I see you reach a goal, or doing something you love...I think “Yes girl!!” for you too. ❤️
To make a long post longer....even with knowing that Danny wanted to start his own business next year. We were SO NOT prepared to make that leap this soon. (Nor are we doing the business we thought we'd be doing when we first started talking about it!) I'm so grateful for it though. I'm grateful for a partner that sat next to me furiously taking notes that weekend in San Diego. 'Cause just like marriage, or parenting, or who knows what else??...baking the perfect french loaf, or french kissing.....at some point we had zero knowledge or experience on the matter. We all start being crappy at it, but you learn as you go!! I'm grateful for how supported Danny and I feel by each other to be able to roll with the punches like we are. That's not a place we've gotten to overnight. And its not a place we get to stake a flag in and claim forever. It's constant work, and being crappy at it sometimes. While learning as we go to get better. I'm grateful for a man that listens to me, standing on a random street corner at 10pm in San Diego, waving my hands all over as I talk about the big dreams I have for our future. If there's anything I'm learning - its that I can't plan it all out. There will be more bumps in the road and unexpected twists and turns (dear God, bless my sanity) but I can tell you, with everything I'm learning my way through the best I can...I've been blessed enough to see the good and create the best of it. I'm genuinely excited at the thought of what's to come.
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